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shadowsworn

I suppose you can post straight to here. If someone is blatantly doing something wrong I can just use my mod powers (ie. PM them what they posted with suggestions for fixing and then deleting the problematic post)

If you try to use a gaia avatar for this I will kill you :]

Setting Background

Blackthorpe is a small town in the kingdom of Mark on the edge of the Taran moor. It is used by merchants coming from the heartlands in the northwest, carrying wool to trade in the capital city of Tull on the river Meluin in the southeast, as a resting place before heading into the treacherous moors and the forested lowlands beyond. The next town, apart from villages of woodcutters and isolated guard towers, is called Andal, and is about five days journey.

Many of the people of the town make their living supporting this trade: providing horses, blacksmithing, guides/guards, food and shelter at inns and hostels (although some of the less well-off families also regularly take in travellers for the night) and repairing wheels and carts. A number of the kingdom's gentry also have homes here, although some of them are only used for part of the year. The most prominent of these families are the Crawfords, the Hannovers, the Shaws and the Weathermays. Other important people in the town include the doctor, George Durham, the priest Father Edward, and the lord of the town, James Shaw.

The passage through the moors is marked more or less permanently (for things are always shifting and changing in the moor) by large stones painted with a white phosphorescent paint. Occasionally men are sent into the moor to repaint any faded stones and to replace any that have sunk beneath the mire. Despite this, the passage through the moors is still difficult and treacherous, especially when the mist comes down, and so most travellers and merchants employ one of the town's guides.

Most of Blackthorpe's population is human,although there is a trace here and there of elfin, faery blood among it's people, especially among the lower classes. This mostly comes out in red or white blonde hair (unusual in the mostly brown or black haired population of Mark), pointed ears, and an affinity for nature. Actual elves have not been seen near the town for many years.

Dwarves are known to exist. They occasionally emerge from their lands in the far north, and are sometimes seen in the town, going about some business. They generally keep to themselves, although they will occasionally stay at the inn or buy from the people of the town in exchange for beautiful and strange things of dwarven creation, not to be found elsewhere, and sometimes magical.

Your character

No character sheet required.

You can be an inhabitant of the town or a traveller, likely travelling with a merchant, although this is not necessary.

You are not allowed to begin with any magical/psionic powers or magical weapons or items

The setting is vaguely Victorian. The clothing worn resembles that worn in that period of our history as do the weaponry (ie. firearms).

You can also be a dwarf or an elf, or a human with some elven blood. Elves generally live in seclusion in the hearts of forests, though, and stay there. Usuaully, the only reason elves leave is if they are outcast, although some do travel in secret among humans, disguised, out of curiousity about the outside world, or if some urgent need drives them.

Please try to be reasonable with your backstory, if you suspect it might go against what I have in mind, please ask me first through PM.

I think that's all.

The story

The date is September 23, two days before the Festival of Morningrise, the harvest festival in this part of the world.

For several days a storm has raged, preventing merchants from entering the moors, and as a result the town is full of travellers.

You are all, for one reason or another, at the Eagle's Rest, the main inn in the town, a large building well lit by fireplaces and lamps, and with comfortable well polished oaken chairs and furnishings.

This evening the crowd is far larger than on most nights. All the tables and stools are occupied, and several groups of people are even standing against the stone walls.

The noise is quite loud, but mostly cheerful and convivial. There is a strong smell of ale, and a faint undercurrent of pipe smoke, of which there is a slight mist of in parts of the room.

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Xenonight2

Dr. Anton Krutz sat in the corner of the Eagle's Rest, feeling quite comfortable. Unlike most Dwarves, he did not consume alcohol. Instead, he smoked his pipe, a peaceful, contemplative look upon his sanguine features. He was rather out of place with the loud setting, seeming to be in his own world entire, paying barely any mind at all to the festivities and the others. With a gaze and a smile telling of a mind detached from his surroundings, he looked around the room.

LeonXIII

Steelram was settled in his favorite seat in the Eagle's Rest, right at the bar. Like any other dwarf, their customs are quite easy to remember. Drink, drink some more, drink until you drop, and drink in a fight. Nothing drives a dwarf to do well in battle without a good pint of ale. And so Steelram was being faithful to his customs, not that it was complicated to follow.

"'Oi barkeep...hic... one m're pint of ale well ye'?" He grabbed the pint from the barkeeper and drained it in two gulps. "Ah, nutin' bet'er than a pint of ale to set'le you're worries!"

Steelram jumped off the bar stool and began walking around, taking pints when no one was looking and draining them. "Ohhhhhh pick up your pints and dra'n them in a gulp, down it easy with'ut any hulp, see it here, the way I do, just make sure you don't make yourself look like a fool, just like what I'm aboot to do!" With these last words, the dwarf jumped onto the nearest table and started to do the infamous Dwarven River Dance, a tradition amongst his race. He was halfway through the dance when someone had pushed him off the table. Landing head first on the stone floor, Steelram was knocked out cold.

~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~

It was all a dream, the days when he grew up in the mines, to the day when he was given his first pint at the age of 14 ( human years and dwarf years differ, dwarven age = 2xhuman age ). Then there was the day that one of the mine tunnels had collapsed, burying half of Steelram's clan deep inside the cave. It was a tragic day for him and many others, losing his parents, while the others lost their husbands, wives, children, siblings, and parents alike. He would never set foot in a mine ever again, not even if it meant his life. Of course, however, a few pints might cloud his judgement.

(( just a hint to everyone, I'll be perfecting my use of the dwarven accent, I'm not spelling anything wrong on purpose, it's the accent))

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shadowsworn

OOC: I control all NPCs, yeah.

Going to update either later today or some time tomorrow, depending on how many more people we get.

Also, er, I've taken the liberty of editting some spelling mistakes you made.

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LeonXIII

OOC: Shadowsworn, I assume you'll also be controlling the time as well?

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shadowsworn

OOC: I basically control everything apart from your characters, including time, yeah. Just waiting for Loric and C-Dub.

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Xenonight2

((Will this start soon? I don't like Loric or C-dub are going to post. It's been days.))

C~Dub

Gregor Stout sat at the bar of the Eagle's Nest, studying his filthy mug. He rapped the bar top with his knuckles. " 'Nother blitzer." He called to the barkeep. "You've been coming here for months now and I still don't know your name." Gregor looked up at him, eyes half open. "Gregor Stout and I swear you make one joke and I'll smash your face in!" He motioned to the large warhammer leaning against the stool. "I've learned my lesson about taunting dwarves before, thank you." The barkeep filled the mug and handed it to Gregor who promptly downed it in one gulp and when back to studying the mug. The barkeep walked away shaking his head.

((This will be the only post in which I control an NPC. The only reason I did it in this post was to develop Gregor's character.))

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shadowsworn

OOC: Well I'm reviving this after all, but I'm limiting the number of people I'm allowing to join after all.

Sorry everyone whose posts I deleted. Nothing personal.

The only person other than those whose posts I've left in who will be allowed to play from now on is Loric.

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LeonXIII

OOC: Fair enough, glad that you kept me here ahaha

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